“There must be some word today
from my boyfriend so far away
Please, Mr. Postman, look and see
is there a letter, a letter for me?
– The Marvelettes
Canberra/Sydney – July 1997
After writing Alison’s letter on Sunday night, Christian prepared for work the next day. There wasn’t any cleaning to do as he hadn’t been home, but there were still little pockets of disorder where Beth had left things laying on the ground. She had clearly let herself in when he was out of town to rummage around for any stray bits and pieces that she had overlooked. There were still some of her things there, so Christian would have to see her at some point either there or work to do some kind of handover. Having to go through that should have been the last thing that he wanted to do. But he found himself just wanting to get it over and done with rather than drag it out because he had just had the perfect tonic to his breakup.
The next morning, he posted his letter to Alison on his way to work. The letter thanked Alison for inviting him up that weekend. It was very tame and polite.
When he got into work, Sally asked him how the weekend with Alison was and he didn’t do a good job of keeping his composure. Christian admitted that it had been fantastic and thanked her for her help.
Christian couldn’t stop thinking about everything that Alison and he had got up to, so when he got a break, he wrote her a second letter. This was the beginning of a long letter campaign and he found that once he started writing, it was hard to stop.
The week that followed was bittersweet for Alison. On one hand, she was elated. An amazing man had just walked into her life from out of nowhere and answered all her dreams. But on the other, he was now 300 km away and she couldn’t visit him when she needed him.
Later that week, she went to visit her best friend Jane, who also lived on the university campus. Jane’s mum was visiting from the country, and eventually the conversation turned to the subject of boyfriends. She asked if Alison had anyone special in her life at the moment. For the first time, Alison could say that she did.
But it wasn’t enough to just know she was loved. Alison needed him beside her, in her arms and in her bed. Camilla noticed that in the first few days following Christian’s visit, Alison was on cloud nine. The flatmates teased her for specifics, but other than the broad details, she said nothing too incriminating. They could tell that she was smitten as she bounced about the flat. However, she soon got a down as his absence became more real. But on Thursday, a letter arrived.
And before Alison had one a chance to visit Christian in Canberra, he’d already sent her two letters. She thought that the first was lovely, saying that he had had a wonderful time visiting her and would be up every minute he spare.
After that letter, Alison immediately perked up and started planning her first trip to Canberra. As she began planning her travel, her flatmates remarked on who her mood seemed to brighten.
The second was something else altogether. Christian went into great detail about what he wanted to do with her; so erotic. She felt herself blushing and had to leave the room the first time she read it. Alison couldn’t believe that he was describing her and what he felt for her.
“Keen, isn’t he?” Camilla teased. Alison smiled, but then directed her attention to the letter. She said nothing, but as she read, Camilla watched her face reddened and she grinned. “What does he say?”
Alison looked at her with a huge smile. “Oh, nothing.”
Alison,
It is 1am and I cannot sleep. I cannot sleep because you are not here and you are all I want. If I cannot be near you, I have to remember you and that is keeping me awake, too.
I remember every second of my visit to you. I remember your eyes, your smile, your kiss. I remember your hair, your scent, your skin.
I remember slowly tracing your smooth curves with my fingers as I lay beside you. From your neck down your shoulders and along your arms to the tips of your fingers and back. From your shoulder to your breast–only reluctantly leaving to trace from your ribs down to your waist.
I remember kissing your belly and your thighs. I kissed your wetness and drinking you in.
I see nothing now, but I remember everything.
I don’t want money; I don’t want fame; I want don’t sleep.I just want you.
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